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Intro 1998 1999 2000 2001

The biggest event this week is that the move into the house has been put back 2 weeks. Chris, our dentist and the present incumbent, is struggling to find a new place so we've all (Chris, us and the agent) agreed to give her the extra period to get herself sorted. While we're keen to get in we don't want to see her thrown out onto the street. We wanted to be in before the new school year started, and we'll make that by just over 1 week.

Would you believe that over 4 weeks after getting notification of my pay rise I've yet to see it?. That's 3 pay checks come and gone! I'm told that it should be through for next time, so there should be a big fat check to come, as it was back-dated to the middle of May. Woo-hoo!

When we went to Costco yesterday it was surprising to see them branching more into computer equipment. They're now selling hard disks, $170 for 5.7Gb, $270 for 8.4Gb and $350 for 11.4Gb. Decent Quantum items too, not rubbish. At those prices it's quite tempting. Now if only they were selling back up devices... We did buy a Microsoft joystick/Flight Simulator 98 package for $90 with a $20 mail-in rebate. Not a bad deal, although the only reason I bought it was that I thought it was one of those feedback joysticks. Ooops. Oh, well, the kids have been wanting a joystick for a while...

Continuing on the computer line, I'm toying with switching all our Internet stuff across to a single domain. That means that instead of have Hotmail for e-mail and Teleport for the web-site there would be one, common name for both, i.e. the web-site would be www.name.com, and the e-mail mike@name.com. The trouble is what to choose for name? You have to register your domain, and all of the 'deans' domains (.com, .net and .org) are gone (although we could get the new .c or .to extensions). What to pick? 'brochers.com' is available

Would you believe that I had a contact from the Scottish Bridge Union this week? (I wrote a system for them about 6/7 years ago as a 'homer' to keep track of membership and to record their master points awarded at tournaments.) It would appear that although they're still using the system (and well pleased with it!) they're going to have a problem when the year 2000 comes around. They've engaged a company to fix it for them, who'll probably charge them an arm and a leg, but they need the source code. Given that I originally charged sweeties for it (not to mention that I toiled long and hard) should I stiff them now? What the heck, they can have it for good will. I might ask them to make a donation if they want to, but it's up to them. I'm just chuffed that even after 6 years the system still works and does what they want.

I was reading the Sunday Post (thanks, mam!) and I see that Channel 4 are showing Ally McBeal on Wednesdays. WATCH THIS SHOW! It is really funny and has some great stories. We watch it every Monday, one of the few programs we don't miss. There is a lot of dross on US tv, but this is a real gem.

I was reading in the Herald (on-line version) this week the hoo-haa that Labour (sorry, New Labour) are trying to stir up about the SNP removing some old pages from their web-site. Is that really the best they can come up with? It's amazing how far the SNP has come without having to stand up in front of the main populace and present their policies. Is there any voter who can outline what their policy with regard to education is (for example), and how they're going to pay for it? They've muttered the usual high level mumbo- jumbo, about improving this and that, cutting back on the other, but without the detail of how it's going to all balance out. If they could just come out with some detailed policies or manifesto, and not fall back on the 'It's our oil' selfish line I think they'd get wider support.

Finally, a short line in praise of Henry Weinhard's 'Blue Boar' Pale Ale ('Authentic Ireland Style', whatever that is). It really is a most superb ale, and we're going through cases of the stuff (it only comes in smallish bottles in case you think we're turning into a pair of alkies...).

Well, that's enough for this week. I'll catch you all next week.